'Rockstar' fails to pull heartstrings, but Ranbir wows

Here is a film made on the life of a rockstar whose tryst with destiny does not touch your heart.

In a grey dull European city, we aren't sure if the frizzy haired, Indo-Persian dressed Rockstar (Ranbir Kapoor) is detained or mugged while he fight backs his detractors to reach the venue to deliver an electrifying performance.

In fact, Imtiaz Ali's 'Rockstar' is a love story of Janardhan Jakhar (Ranbir Kapoor) and Heer (Nargis Fakhri). Janardhan is a naive Haryanvi college going buffoon. He is rustic with no confidence in his own talent, but cherishes the dream of becoming a rockstar. With a hairdo and clothes that resemble the fashion of the early 1970s, Janardhan, or JJ as he calls himself, is constantly trying to ape rockstar Jim Morrison and is constantly seeking a formula to become one.

His confidants, college mates and college canteen owner Kattara Bhai tell him that to be a rockstar one needs to experience life altering love, heartbreak and self discovery. And his mind ticks till he spots Heer (Nargis Fakhri).

Heer is the diva of the college, poised and polished very lady like. Their union seems unfeasible. After a few scenes, we learn that she is to be married off within 20 days and wants to experience all that is forbidden.

The duo makes a list and experience life without emotions for each other. In due course, JJ is christened Jordan, which seems to be an apt name for a rockstar.

As the mystery unfolds over layers of flashbacks, it takes the story to a designated plateau and halts.

At stages, you feel you are watching a documentary, full of montages of memories lined up over good music. Be it Sufi music or the shehnai-guitar jugalbandi, A.R. Rahman's music touches your heart.

Coming from a director who has given wonderful hits like 'Jab We Met' and 'Love Aaj Kal', 'Rockstar' is a disappointment. It's evident that there is something amiss with the characterisation of this love story.

During the entire transition it is not revealed how Jordan becomes a symbol of rage nor does it reveal the 'junoon' of Nargis' character.

With some beautiful wide angle shots, the film captures scenic Kashmir, Prague and Delhi in a way that has not been seen in the recent past. The editing too is crisp but the last half hour is agonisingly similar to Shahid Kapoor's 'Mausam'. It just goes on and on.

The dialogues are refreshingly rustic and funny. An extra star in the rating for Ranbir's performance.